Old, new, borrowed and blue... How 'bout just blue?

I've got another wedding to go to this Saturday in Portland. While I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and I'm really happy for my cousin, I can't say I'm thrilled about going to this shindig alone. As I watch my friends couple off and settle down, they make it look so simple. Those relationships have made it easy for me to keep a positive attitude about dating and remind me that romance and chivalry are alive and kicking. If there's someone out there for them, there's got to be someone out there for me, right? I'm just in a dating slump, right? Just because there aren't men banging down my door right now, that doesn't mean there never will be, right?

So, I was thinking about how many boyfriends/girlfirends I've seen the friends in my age group go through before they ended up with their husbands and wives.... in most cases, two or three. I'm 28 years old and I've never had what I'd call a serious relationship. I've dated on and off (more off than on), but there's never been anyone with whom I've considered living or thought about spending my whole life. For a long time, from the middle of college until about a year ago, I shunned the dating scene and all the drama that goes along with it. I was content to be alone and just hang out with friends. Now that I'm ready to dive into the pool, I'm realizing that I never really had any swimming instructors, I left my water wings back in the dorms, and the deep end is a long swim away. Ah well.... at least I'm not afraid of drowning anymore.